Press Release
4 October 2009
Mid-Autumn celebration wastes more than 10,000 tonnes of CO2
Green Power urges for a Low-Carbon festival
Green Power has conducted a Survey on Consumption and Celebration Habits
before the Mid-Autumn Festival, which revealed that Hong Kong’s festival waste is
still severe. Last year, Hong Kong families dumped 2.85 millions mooncakes, which,
if stacked one on above the other, would form a pile 270 times the height of Two IFC.
With an increasing trend towards holding barbecues to celebrate the festival, more
than 90% of respondents indicated they would use disposable cutleries. There was
also a startling amount of leftover food, and we estimated that more than 10,331
tonnes of carbon dioxide were released from dumping mooncakes and barbecuing
last year. Also, almost half the respondents were unaware there is a relationship
between festival celebration activities and global warming. Green Power hereby calls
for action to reduce festival waste, so we can together enjoy a “low-carbon
Mid-Autumn festival”.
The survey result was announced during The 17th Clean Up the World in Hong Kong
ceremony. Green Power gathered average temperature data during the past ten years, for
the months when the Mid-Autumn Festival is held – i.e. September and October. These
indicate a rising trend, which Dr Cheng Luk Ki, Division Head of Scientific Research and
Conservation of Green Power, says is consistent with global warming. Yet the survey
revealed that Hong Kong’s festival waste problem is still severe. For instance, the survey
indicated that last year 1.25 mooncakes were thrown away by each family - totalling 2.85
million mooncakes across the territory. If piled up, the mooncakes could reach the height
of some 270 times of Two IFC. Dr Cheng notes that baking, packing and transporting
mooncakes requires using fuel, and so emitting carbon dioxide. “We estimate that 1955
tonnes of carbon dioxide were emitted to create and supply the 2.85 million mooncakes
disposed of last year; it would take 160,000 trees a year to absorb this amount,” he said.
With barbecuing becoming one of the major celebration activities for traditional festivals,
Dr Cheng points out there is a need for more public awareness regarding the startling
amounts of waste generated from barbecues each year. According to the survey, 90% of
the respondents use disposable cutlery in barbecues; an estimated amount 5.6 million
Press Release
items of cutlery were disposed of during last year’s Mid-Autumn barbecues. Plus, the
estimated leftover food from the barbecues includes 550,000 steaks and 490,000 sausages,
and would be enough to feed a family of three for 82 years. Meat is “high-carbon” food, as
livestock feed, farm animals’ digestive processes, and meat manufacture and transport,
result in releases of carbon dioxide and methane. Together with the direct and continuous
burning of charcoal, an extra 8,702 tonnes of carbon dioxide were released into the
atmosphere during just one day of Mid-Autumn barbecuing. Dr Cheng suggests that
citizens should avoid celebrating festivals by barbecuing, or use electric ovens to reduce
carbon dioxide emissions. Moreover, the amount of food should be carefully assessed, to
reduce the waste generated; and we recommend people favour vegetables and fish, as
these result in lower carbon emissions.
Though tremendous amounts of carbon dioxide are emitted from Mid-Autumn waste,
around 50% respondents were nevertheless unaware of the close relationship between
festival celebration and global warming. As world temperatures are rising, we should,
therefore, be more aware of the problem and try to celebrate festivals in simpler ways,
thus taking a step towards alleviating global warming.
Carbon dioxide emissions during Mid-Autumn Festival
Items
Quantity/
Weight*
Carbon
emission
Wastage of mooncakes
2.84 million
1,629 tonnes
No. of trees needed to absorb
equal amount of carbon (in 1
year)
130000 trees
580 kg
48 trees
2097 tonnes
170000 trees
6604 tonnes
550000 trees
Disposable cutleries used when 5.6 million
barbecues
Wastage of barbecue food 67 tonnes
(steaks & sausages)
Burning of charcoal when 1785 tonnes
barbecue
Total:
10331 tonnes about 850000 trees
* Data calculated from survey result of Mid Autumn Festival consumption and celebration habits
For more details, please refer to the Chinese version of the survey analysis:
http://www.greenpower.org.hk/gp/pressrelease/pr_download/041009_cleanup_survey.doc